I survived assassination attempt by God’s grace—Mtambo
Human Rights Defenders Coalition chairperson Timothy Mtambo, who on Friday escaped assassination attempts on his life, claims to have survived by God’s grace.
His vehicle was shot six times by unknown assailants in the area between Mtandire and Bingu Stadium along Kaunda Road in Lilongwe.
Both Mtambo and Malawi Police Service confirmed the matter.
Addressing journalists in Lilongwe yesterday, Mtambo said he survived through the grace of God.
“I had a meeting with Gift Trapence in Area 9. While there, we received a call and the caller was asking us about our safety and this made us move from the place…we started off, so when I was approaching Mtandire Bridge, I saw a black [Nissan] X-trail following me, from nowhere a person was standing on the window pointing a gun at my vehicle its then I realised that I was under attack…the person shot at my vehicles 6 times then I slowed down, then the Vehicle passed me since it was in high speed, then I turned back to where I was coming from…but I escaped unhurt,” Mtambo said.
He claims two bullets missed him by a whisker, which were targeted at his seat.
Malawi Police Service spokesperson James Kadadzera confirmed to Times that Mtambo has reported the matter to the law enforcers.
“Yes they came to report the matter and now the police are on the ground with a firearm expert following leads,” Kadadzera said.
HRDC has since accused Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) operatives of being behind the assassination attempt.
One of the senior members of the coalition, Reverend MacDonald Sembeleka, said government is waging war against unarmed citizens, warning this will soon backfire.
Taking his turn, HRDC vice chairperson Gift Trapence disclosed that the organisation is not yet done with demonstrations.
He said they will soon remove Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) injunction at the court as they are preparing to close the country’s borders in the next demonstrations.
HRDC has since appealed to Malawi Defence Force (MDF) to help disarm people suspected to have small guns.
Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi was not immediately available for comment but his cabinet colleague, Minister of Information, Civic Education and Communications Technology, Mark Botomani, dismissed the allegations by HRDC that DPP operatives were behind the assassination attempts.
“It’s very unfortunate that HRDC is alleging that government is behind the attempted assassination, there is no grain of truth in what they are alleging, government cannot plot evil against any citizen of the country,” Botomani said.
According to Botomani, HRDC has been organising demonstrations in the country and there has not been a day government planned evil against those demonstrating.
Not long ago, Mtambo and his fellow human rights defenders also became targets of petrol-bomb attacks in which some of their valuable property has been burnt.
Mtambo and his family narrowly escaped harm after three petrol bombs were thrown into his compound some months ago.
The law enforcement agencies are yet to arrest people behind the attacks. Malawi has been experiencing post-election protests since President Mutharika was declared winner of the May 21 Tripartite Elections by Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) Chairperson Justice Jane Ansah on May 27 2019.
